"Togas, temples, hydraulic engineering, winemaking, and even “Roman” numerals, all widely credited to the Romans, were actually Etruscan innovations. The Etruscans thrived in what is now Italy for almost a millennium, from around 900 to 100 BC, before the rise of the Roman Empire. They laid the foundation for present-day architecture, engineering, and artistic achievements. Yet their culture remains overshadowed by ancient Greece and Rome." Discover the Etruscans at the Legio

My mom was born and raised in San Francisco. She used to refer to the U.S. Mint at 5th and Mission as the old mint, and the one at Duboce (still active) as the new mint. But the first U.S. mint in San Francisco opened in 1854 on Commercial Street to handle the flood of riches created by the Gold Rush. By the early 1870s it had outgrown this cramped site, and was replaced by the Old Mint which opened in 1874 at 5th & Mission. Today, the original mint is home to the San Franci

Florophiles were on high alert. The rare Corpse Flower, which only blooms every 3-5 years, was due to burst forth at any moment inside the Flower Conservatory. The event would last mere hours, and be accompanied by the thick smell of rotting flesh. The sickly aroma is designed to attract pollinators, and apparently, San Franciscans. Tickets instantly sold out, and 9,000 people viewed the plant in bloom. The photo above is from the last time Scarlet bloomed, in 2023. Impres

The June SFOB car meet-up fell on Father's Day. There was a very good turn-out , with a lot of fathers and families in attendance. Images below... I've shot this car a few times, it never stops looking outrageous. See you next month!

The San Francisco Museum of Modern Art just opened "Matisse, A Modern Scandal." The centerpiece is his breakthrough creation featured at the 1905 Salon d'Automne in Paris. It was one of 1,735 works of art presented there. And it really stood out. And part of SF MOMA's permanent collection, the mens restroom.

A potpouri of photos since my last R&R posting. These lush real roses are inside a thick glass ball filled with water. A total impulse buy from the floral department of Ocean Beach Safeway. Now on display in my cubicle at work. "Whatta ya wanna do?" "I don't know, whatta ya wanna do?" Three pelicans chillin' on the L-shaped pier in the Presido. Recent springtime view of the Sutro Baths at Lands End. The old Cliff House is completely fenced off, with no sign it will reopen an

I live near Washington High School in the Richmond District. It boasts the only auto shop program in the San Francisco public school system. Five years ago the school began hosting an annual benefit car show to support the program. Here are some images from 2026... 1961 Lincoln Continental convertible with suicide doors. Jet black on the outside, blood red on the inside. It's a rolling party. That's a collectible 1968 Ford Mustang California Special model. What high school

Photos from the latest monthly meet-up of San Francisco Ocean Beach car nation. Every 3rd Sunday of the Month, 7am-11am. (They adjust the date depending on weather.) Red metalflake paint on the engine block! Plymouth 'Cuda convertible with pistol-grip shifter. The owner of this 1932 Ford Roadster spent 5 years getting this ride where he wanted it. He did everything himself except the upholstery. It's not unusual for these diehards to document their journey. FYI, there's a bi

Claude Monet traveled to Venice when he was 68-years-old, experiencing a crisis of confidence and increasingly believing his best work was behind him. Recently, on my 68th birthday, I traveled to Golden Gate Park to see the new Monet & Venice exhibit at the deYoung. And there, any similarities to myself and Claude Monet end. The exhibit presents Monet's water-focused art before, during, and after his trek to Venice. And it includes some striking takes on Venice by fellow gia

Lowriders. A growing swell of appreciation for these unique, artistic cars has finally washed over mainstream America. Low. Slow. Made for show. These rolling works of art are always popular at the monthly meetings of car nation at Ocean Beach. And this week, the United States Postal Service unveiled a set of lowrider Forever stamps. Riding low and now flying high. There was a host of other makes, models and heights today at the March get-together. It was the perfect day for

"Now in its 42nd year, Bouquets to Art is an annual exhibition featuring floral displays throughout our galleries." Floral displays inspired by specific pieces in the de Young's and Legion of Honor's permanent collections. This year, I visited the de Young. The secret is out; it was a total mob scene. Floral design, the art that inspired it, and a close-up below. Be the art. Some visitors adopt a floral motif of their own for the exhibit. The floral design seems to melt righ

Magnolias. They're older than the T-Rex and infinitely better looking. They survived the asteroid hit that destroyed most of life on Earth. Survived and thrived, expanding into more than 350 species around the world. Some of them are currently on display in the Botantical Garden in Golden Gate Park. And a few non-magnolias seen today in the Botanical Garden. I think this was called the New Zealand Christmas Tree Remember, you're sharing the park with local wildlife.

This weekend SF Orchid Society presented the 73rd annual Pacific Orchid Exposition Show and Plant Sale. It was in the County Fair building next door to the Botanical Garden. The humidifier case... Best In Show! And now we cross over to the wing of the building with the orchids for sale... If you missed the orchid show but love flowers, next weekend is Bouquets To Art at both the Legion of Honor and de Young Museums. Info and tix here: https://www.famsf.org/exhibitions/bouquet

The Walt Disney Family Museum is in the Presidio, founded by Walt Disney's daughter, Dianne Disney Miller. The museum opened October 9, 2009, and is dedicated to Walt's life and legacy. Walt Disney, at 16-years-old, volunteered to drive a field ambulance in France during WWI. Combining live action with animation in the 1920's. It took 348 separate original drawings to create less than 15 seconds of animation for the 1928 film Steam Boat Willie. This was one labor-intensive

On Saturday night several blocks of my neighborhood were blocked off for a Chinese New Year parade and festival. Lunar New Year isn't until Tuesday, February 17th, but it's a weeks-long celebration. Some images below.

January. And the first 2026 gathering of the monthly San Francisco Ocean Beach car lovers. Vintage Chrysler Imperial. About a cityblock long, and only 2 doors. Artwork reflecting the 1949 heritage of this car You never know what will roll into these gatherings. Here's a classic Rolls Royce convertible. Early 1960's Ford Falcon. Tribute vehicle, or actual restored vintage race car? Under the hood of a classic mid-1960's Pontiac GTO. The first American muscle car? Modified cla

Every holiday season, I try to visit the major SF hotels and landmarks to check out the festive decorations. Here are some photos from Christmas 2025. Entrance to the courtyard (glass-enclosed these days) of the Palace Hotel on Market Street. Somebody at the Palace Hotel likes polar bears. This is near the check-in desk. The Fairmont Hotel atop Nob Hill. Still my favorite. That's legendary local crooner Tony Bennett immortalized out front. They added a temporary bar in the lo

The monthly car gathering at Ocean Beach: Sunday, November 23rd. Fun ride, fun paint job. It was a pretty good turnout, with a number of rides I hadn't seen before. The blue SUV had accidentally backed, slowly, into the classic Chevy Nova. Luckily the Nova owner was not armed. It's getting cooler, so they crocheted a sweater for the greyhound hood ornament! Happy Holidays! San Francisco Ocean Beach, the organizing group. This Dodge Dart Swinger reminds me of my mom. For years

Discarded panhandling sign on my block at work. It apparently didn't test well. We ran out of picture hooks at work, so we take turns holding the wall clock. After a storm in my neighborhood. My recent root canal came with a view. (The Medical Building, 450 Sutter, 26th Floor) Lincoln Park golf course. Built on top of a Gold Rush era cemetery. The twin sphinxes are being renovated. But they left air holes for the big cats. A current exhibit at the de Young. I ran into the Inv

A new exhibit at the de Young. I went on a Saturday at 4:00 pm, and it was crowded. The security guard said it had been that way all day. It seems the museum was expecting the demand, because it is an extensive exhibit with lots of pieces, and a wider range of gift store offerings than usual. I'll have to go back at a less crowded time...